In My Heart (You'll Always Be)
by Lukas Avier
Summary: Sequel to Lean On Me - Approached by his father Poseidon, Perseus finds himself confronting his past demons and assisting in a war he long thought over. With every new threat that reveals itself, the young god must wait longer to be reunited with the one he always fought for.
1. Chapter 1

Growing up, he always thought that he would tend to the flowers with his mother, rattling off the names of each plant like they were simply a part of him. It all seemed so simple then, laid out like something from a book. Then, Odin fought the Frost Giants for the first time and sent out soldiers to recruit any Asgardian able to fight, even when some were unwilling. Perseus found himself torn away from his mother and outfitted with armor that felt to big and a sword that didn't sit right in his hand.

Perseus was reminded, then, of his time on Midgard, when he stayed in a small camp and followed the Olympians' orders because his mother told him to behave. He was to have good standings with the Greeks so that, when they found out that he was part Asgardian, they might be a bit lenient with him.

It worked for a while. He made friends with a daughter of Athena who had suspicions that he was different and a satyr that_ knew_ he was different. Still, they helped him complete every quest thrown at him by the gods and Perseus even found himself enamored a bit with the Athenian child. They dated for a bit and it was her that convinced him to live with his mother in Asgard, to be free of the Olympians' control. She had held his hand and smiled so sweetly as she said that they couldn't be together because she knew he loved another.

Perseus had simply held her close and apologized for the fact that he could not give his heart to her. The blonde woman simply laughed and said that she was honored to have been able to hold it for as little as she did. She told him that he would know when he found his true love, his soulmate. They remained friends and he even kissed her cheek in goodbye as he was transported to Asgard by Heimdall, who always had a soft spot for the Greek-Asgardian.

After the battle against the Frost Giants, Perseus never did feel the same. He was always bitter and short with the new warriors that he patched up after every battle they were in. He often found himself alone, simply tending to the flowers he thought he'd be with forever.

Then, he stumbled upon Loki Odinson and his whole worldview changed. He was enchanted by the young mage that seemed to always be casted into his brother's shadow. He found himself walking forward, his mouth opening on its own accord. Soon after, Perseus felt like a planet and Loki was his sun as he agreed to meet up with the trickster every third day and he couldn't stop himself from falling for him.

It was frustrating when Loki didn't seem to realize that Perseus was courting him since they first met. Still, Perseus ended up revealing the Angansiiar to the trickster and his heart soared when he received one in return. Then, he had to say goodbye to Loki, for Perseus' job was not done yet and he could not return to Asgard until it was.

Perseus sighed to himself and held the golden flower close to his chest as he turned around, "What do you want, Poseidon?"

Poseidon, the god of the seas, raised an eyebrow, "It's been years since you've last seen me and this is how you greet me?"

"I have just let my soulmate go without me back to Asgard when I was only just reunited with him, so please, you'll have to forgive me if I am not in the mood to speak with you," Perseus said in a deceptively calm voice. "Now, tell me what you need or I shall be on my way."

"You speak like an Asgardian," The god commented, putting his hands in the pockets of his ridiculous board shorts.

"Watch how you speak," Perseus warned, crossing his arms over his Asgardian battle armor. "I do not wish to deal with Zeus just after I have arrived on Midgard. Your brother would not care that I helped stop the Chitauri. He would only focus on the fact that Loki is my chosen."

Poseidon nodded, "You're right, I'm sorry. Walk with me. I'll explain everything as we do. First, however, you might want to change. You'll draw attention to yourself."

Perseus looked down at his Asgardian clothes before sighing and using one of the spells Loki had taught him years ago. He now wore a big fluffy jacket, a blue scarf, a light colored jumper, ripped jeans, and a pair of blue converse. "Better?" He grumbled as he hid a bit of his face in his scarf, seeing as the sun was setting and it was beginning to get chilly out. He looked down at the golden flower in his hands, a sad look in his eyes, and was startled out of his thoughts when the sea god responded.

"Well, sure. The scarf's a bit much."

"I don't want to hear that from someone wearing Finding Nemo board shorts."

Poseidon scoffed, "They're just clownfish."

The younger god shook his head, "Every clownfish is Nemo." With a small shimmer of light, Perseus transported his golden flower into a pocket dimension he had started sharing with Loki after the first time he was allowed into the castle on Asgard.

"You've learned magic," Poseidon stated, looking at his son's now empty hand.

"I've learned many things." Perseus flexed his hand, like he was already missing the feel of the flower. "Why have you approached me? Surely it could not be to catch up. This is hardly my first time visiting Midgard again."

"I know," He nodded. "The prophecy of seven has been happening for a while now."

Perseus raised an eyebrow, turning to the god, "Really now? Why are you telling me this?"

Poseidon sighed, staring out at some of the wreckage that was around Manhattan. "Because, despite how much you wish to deny it, you are still considered a demigod. The prophecy calls for seven and, whether you like it or not, you are one of them."

The younger god bit his lip, staring down at his hands thoughtfully, "I don't like this."

"Funny," Poseidon smiled. "Ms. Chase said the same thing."

Perseus' looked at his father sharply, "Annabeth? Is she part of the quest? Wait," He shook his head, seeming to backtrack over his thoughts. "How old is she now?"

"Ah, yes," The sea god nodded. "I forget, time runs differently in your home. She is sixteen right now. Only two years have passed since you left." He regarded his son with a gentle look, "But it seems like you've found your forever."

Perseus' face colored slightly and he hid in his scarf a bit, "I have. He's- It's- nice. It's really nice."

"I am happy to hear that. You must go to camp now, Perseus," Poseidon smiled. "Everyone is waiting for you."

The younger god watched as his father disappeared and he tilted his head to the sky as he sighed. "Norns, give me strength..."


	2. Chapter 2

Let it be said that gods also avoided their problems, and that was what Perseus was doing.

He was aimlessly walking down some street, using a basic invisibility spell his heartmate had taught him to shroud himself from unwanted eyes. He didn't want any civilians to approach him, and he really did not want to face any of the Avengers and their questions. That being said, he also did not want to go on a quest. It was just another thing that kept him from Loki.

However, much as he wanted to avoid the quest entirely and find his heartmate in Asgard (Odin be damned), he felt like he would never see Loki again if he didn't go to Camp Half Blood. Still, the blasted camp was an hour away and his father hadn't even bothered to leave him a ride.

Perseus huffed, taking his hands out of his jacket's pockets to rub them together, "Please work..." He brought his fingers and whistled, the sound echoing through the streets and startling some nearby people.

A few minutes later, a black Pegasus landed suddenly in front of him, nearly knocking him down in their excitement._ 'Boss! You're here!"_ He pushed his head against the god's chest, like he couldn't believe his own words._ "You're really here! It's been, like, forever!'_

Perseus chuckled, running a hand down the Pegasus' mane, "Yes, I'm here, Blackjack. How has everything been?"

_'Boring,'_ Blackjack huffed._ 'No one would give me donuts. How was god land? Did you find the one?'_ The winged horse gave him a silly look and the god laughed, gently pushing his friend's head away.

"As a matter of fact, I_ did._" Perseus manifested the golden flower into his hand, allowing the Pegasus to carefully sniff at it. "His name is Loki and he's wonderful."

Blackjack looked up at him when the flower went back into its pocket dimension._ 'Oh, man, isn't he the one that trashed this place?'_

Perseus sniffed, "He was controlled. My Loki is nothing like the one that came here, I assure you."

The Pegasus nodded,_ 'No disrespect, Boss.'_ He knew that it wasn't wise to disrespect someone's heartmate outright. It was one of the things Perseus taught him about Asgard._ 'Just wanted to know who we were talking about.'_

"I know," The god smiled, running a hand through the winged horse's mane. "I apologize, Old Friend. He's very special to me."

_'Then he's special to me, too. I'm on your side, Boss.'_

"Thank you. I have to go to Camp Half Blood now but I am not feeling up to it at the moment." He grinned and nodded his head to a Dunkin Donuts that was still running even now after the Chitauri mess, "Care for some donuts?"

_'Ugh, you're the best. I could go for, like, fifty right now.'_

"How about I just get you five?"

_'They have to be jelly filled. Oh, I love those!'_

"Of course. Those are the only kind worth getting."

Ten minutes later and the two were sitting on a curb and eating their donuts like they haven't had food in days. Perseus groaned as he bit into his third pastry, "Norns, I've missed these. Did you know that they don't have donuts at my home?"

Blackjack looked up at the god, eyes wide with horror even as jelly dripped from his mouth,_ 'Remind me never to go there.'_

"Noted. Slide the box over to me, you heathen, you're supposed to share." He snatched up another donut when the Pegasus used one of his wings to move it. "Thank you."

_'So, why do you have to go to the camp?'_

Perseus sighed and grumbled, "Quest."

Blackjack snorted with annoyance, stomping his hooves a bit,_ 'Seriously? You just got back!'_

"I know," The god stood up, brushing off any crumbs from his clothes, before bending down to pick up the donut box. "And as much as I would like to continue to avoid it, I can't. You can have one more but then we really have to go to camp."

The Pegasus huffed but nodded, snatching up one more jelly-filled pastry,_ 'I don't like this but okay. I'll take you there but if anyone bothers you, I'll smack 'em with my wings!'_

Perseus grinned, "I wouldn't expect anything else. Thank you for coming to me, by the way. I truly appreciate it."

_'I would always come for your Asgardian butt when you call, Boss! Don't ever doubt that.'_

* * *

When he arrived at Camp Half Blood, Perseus almost couldn't believe he was actually there. It was a bit strange to see the laid-back attitude when he was used to Asgard and their... Asgardianness. In any case, there was still that rush of fondness he felt when he saw his first home and he found himself walking forward, one hand running through Blackjack's mane as the Pegasus trotted beside him.

Everything was the same as the last time he had been there, save for a few new faces and the new cabins he requested for but never seen if they were built. Some demigods looked at him and Blackjack strangely and he wondered if the Pegasus had somehow gotten on everyone's bad side in the, apparently, two years he was gone.

"Percy!"

The god whipped his head over to the direction the voice was coming from and a smile stretched onto his face, "Annabeth!" He swept the daughter of Athena up in a hug when she ran over, spinning her in a circle before putting her down.

Annabeth grinned up at him breathlessly, her eyes bright, "It's been so long! What're you doing here?" Her grin dimmed a bit when she saw the uneasy look on his face and groaned, "You're part of the quest, aren't you?"

"Wow, you make me feel so good about myself," The Asgardian joked good-naturedly.

"You shouldn't have to come," The blonde squeezed his bicep, a displeased look on her face. "You deserve a break. Haven't you done enough?"

Perseus sighed, stepping away from her a bit, as he looked out at the clouds gently moving across the sky, "I thought so, too, but I still have so much work to do- for Midgard and for Asgard."

Annabeth shook her head and frowned, "Can't someone else do the work? Why does it have to be you? You've done everything anyone has ever asked, and no one can even give you the decency of a vacation!"

"I don't know why," The Asgardian said. "But my heart is telling me that I cannot leave Midgard just yet, not until this quest is over."

The daughter of Athena nodded, taking a deep breath to calm herself down. "Well, you made it here in time for lunch. Sit with me?"

"Is that allowed?"

"I don't care. I haven't seen you in two years. How's your home? How's your mother?"

"She's great," Perseus allowed himself to be led to the pavilion, ignoring the questioning he looks he received from campers as he walked with the daughter of Athena. "She has finally opened her own clinic and she receives patients more than she likes. She never can stand to see anyone in pain."

Annabeth grinned at him as she sat down at the Poseidon table so that she could speak to her best friend privately, "Neither can you. How're your flowers? I remember you telling me that you were going to start a garden."

Perseus positively lit up as he leaned forward, "Speaking of flowers..." He held out his head, letting the golden flower appear and softly fall into his palm.

"No way!" The daughter of Athena practically shouted the words before finding herself, continuing in a quieter voice. "You found your Angasiiar? Who?" Annabeth marveled at how his face softened as he thought about the one that held his heart. She remembered the last time she saw him and how his eyes were hard from pain and battle.

"His name is Loki," Perseus said softly, gazing at the flower like he could see the man he was speaking of. "And he is my heart."

Annabeth felt her throat tighten with emotion as her eyes watered a bit in the face of her best friend's happiness. He deserved the world. "I'm so happy for you, Percy." She cleared her throat, pressing her hands on her eyes before any tears could slip out. "Gods, I'm so happy." She dropped her hands and picked up the plate that appeared in front of her, clearing her throat, "Are you hungry? I am. One chicken sandwich, please."

Perseus smiled in amusement and put the flower back into its pocket dimension before picking up his plate. "I ate before coming here so I will have some pudding." He stood up with Annabeth and walked over to the fire. He glanced at the woman from the corner of his eye before sacrificing some of the dessert._ 'For you, Lady Athena... Thank you for giving me my best friend.'_

When he opened his eyes and turned around, he found Annabeth grinning at him. "What is it?"

The daughter of Athena looked at his plate, "Your pudding is blue."

"Huh, so it is."


	3. Chapter 3

"My father tells me that the rest of the seven are here," Perseus started as he and his best friend went on a aimless walk around camp after lunch.

Annabeth glanced over at him, "They are. Do you want to meet them now?"

The god tilted his head, his eyes wandering over to the Big House where a familiar figure stood, "I will speak with my teacher first, if that is alright."

"Of course," She nodded. "Do you want us to meet you outside when you're done?"

Perseus shrugged, "That will be fine. I shouldn't be long, just some light catching up to do." He made his way down the small hill to the building as Annabeth went off to find the other demigods he was to meet. "Chiron."

"Perseus Jackson," The centaur smiled gently at the half Asgardian. "It has been so long. Will you walk with me?"

"I'm sorry that I haven't written to you," The young god said as they made their way down a dirt path. "Times have been hard at my home."

"You have made a reputation for yourself."

Perseus frowned, his hands unconsciously curling at his sides. His eyes stared off at the woods in the camp, focusing onto any beings he could see roaming around.

"That upsets you."

"You know it does," He groused, shaking his head.

Chiron smiled in amusement, "I don't believe you know _which_ reputation I am talking about."

Perseus' eyes flickered over to the centaur in surprise, "What other reputation do you speak of?

"The Demeter Cabin speaks highly of your garden," The centaur tilted his head. "Word travels fast when it comes to a land that holds every flower known to man." He chuckled at the look of astonishment he received. "Many wish to have the privilege of visiting the garden Alltid."

"I didn't- I never expected it to be known," The young god shook his head, a grin making its way onto his face. "I am pleased that others enjoy the thought of it."

"Wait until the children of Demeter realize that you are the very same god that tends to the flowers. I fear they would not stop bothering you for however long you are here."

Perseus shrugged, "Somehow, I do not think I would mind much. I apologize but I will have to cut this conversation short." He inclined his head to his teacher. "Annabeth is bringing around the other demigods that I will be accompanying."

"It's alright," Chiron nodded, walking them back over to the Big House where they could see five people waiting with the daughter of Athena. "We will continue speaking another time. I do hope you all get along well."

"I'm sure we will."

* * *

"Wait, you're telling us you found the last demigod for the quest?" Piper McLean asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "How?"

"Actually, he found me," Annabeth shrugged. "Percy said that his dad told him he's part of the quest."

Frank Zhang made a time-out gesture with his hands, "Wait, wait. Are you talking about_ Percy Jackson_, the best friend you told us about?"

The daughter of Athena nodded, a small smile making its way onto her face as she thought about the god. "He just came back from his home to visit."

Leo Valdez winced at her words, "And now he has to go on a quest. That sucks."

Hazel Levesque looked around, "Where is he? I'd like to meet him."

"He's catching up with Chiron now," Annabeth answered. "He should be coming by soon." She looked around, trying to see if she could spot her best friend. She grinned when she saw him making his way over and ran to him, linking her arm with his to lead him the rest of the way.

"Oh, gods, you're hot," Leo blurted when he got a good look at the other.

Perseus blinked in surprise before smiling, pleased, "Thank you. You're very kind."

Jason turned to his best friend, "Leo, I thought you were straight."

"You thought wrong." Leo shook his head, a smirk making its way onto his face, "The McShizzle Supreme is too good for just one gender."

Piper rolled her eyes, "And yet you're still single."

"Ouch, Beauty Queen, you wound me."

Perseus chuckled at their antics, "Excuse me for interrupting, but may I know your names?"

Hazel flushed in embarrassment, "Oh, right, my name's Hazel Levesque. I'm a daughter of Pluto."

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance," He inclined his head, kissing the back of her hand.

"Oh, he's chivalrous." Leo fanned his face and held out his hand as the god came near, "Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus." His hair literally caught fire when Perseus kissed his hand, "Stop or I'll swoon."

Perseus tilted his head back as he laughed, "Oh, I like this one." He turned to the next person, a lopsided grin on his face, "And you are?"

"Frank Zhang, son of Mars."

The young god clapped him on the shoulder, "I freaking hate your dad, Frank Zhang. I apologize for your misfortune."

Frank snorted, "Thanks, man."

"You're welcome," Perseus beamed, winking at him.

Piper stepped up and held out her hand, a small smile on her face, "My name's Piper McLean. My mom's Aphrodite."

"Unfortunate. I met Aphrodite and, well. I'm going to go with my initial statement."

The brunette laughed, "That's fair. Trust me, I'm nothing like some of my siblings."

"That's perfect. We will get along well then." He turned to the last person and his smile fell when he saw him. Blonde hair, blue eyes, the smell of ozone. "Let me guess, son of Zeus?" He held up his hand, "No, wait, son of Jupiter?"

Jason nodded in surprise, "Uh, yeah, how'd you know?"

Perseus gestured to him, "You remind me of Thor."

Leo flailed his arms, gaining the god's attention, "Do you mean Thor as in_ Thor_ Thor?"

"I can't answer that directly," He answered, pointing to the sky with a 'what can you do?' expression. "But I can say that we're most definitely on a similar train of thought."

"Now that you've met them all," Annabeth spoke up, taking a step forward. "Did Poseidon tell you anything about the quest?"

Perseus shook his head, "He did not speak much about it. However, I find it strange..." He tilted his head, his eyes taking in the demigods standing around him. "He said that the Prophecy of Seven is happening but I can sense that it is not to come to fruition for another year."

The demigods stared at the god in shock, their mouths dropped open and their eyes shining with annoyance and anger. "I'm sorry," Piper said, holding up a hand. "Say that again, I think I misheard you."

Perseus shifted from foot-to-foot, "This is strange. From what little I can sense, the timeline has been messed up." He moved his hands around as he spoke, like he was trying to draw up his thoughts into the air so that they could understand, "Quests that should have happened did not come to pass. Before the Prophecy of Seven happens, those must commence first."

"Hypothetically speaking," Leo spoke up, raising his hand like he was in a classroom. "What happens if you were having weird dreams? Like, weird_ demigod_ dreams?"

"Well," Perseus drawled. "Then, hypothetically answering, you have some quests to go on."

Jason clapped his hands once, "Great. Wonderful. It must be my birthday, this is so awesome!"

The young god pointed at him, "Your sarcasm is not appreciated, Thor Jr."

"My name's Jason."

"Is it?"

Annabeth grinned at all of them, her left eyelid twitching almost unnoticeably in annoyance, "Well, guys, I hope we can all learn to get a long 'cause this is going to be a long year."


	4. Chapter 4

_Loki,_

_I hope this letter is finding you well. I am not delusional to the fact that the Allfather is most likely punishing you for your acts on Midgard. I know he will not see the truth that it was not your fault because he is frightened by what the Mad Titan brings. I can only hope that he will not make your sentence too harsh, for I still need you by my side. Life without you would not be life at all, I'm afraid, and I cannot picture a world without you in it._

_Poseidon has revealed another prophecy and, unfortunately, I am a part of it. However, a few quests must commence first, so I am unsure of the timeline in which I will finally return home to you. Annabeth, my old friend, says that I may return in two years at the earliest. I do hope she is right, I cannot bear the thought of being away from you for too long._

_Have I ever told you the true meaning of the Angasiiar? My love, it is more than just a courting gift between two people. For as long as you have it, the flower represents a life bond. I know it was wrong for me to not mention it. Forgive me, however, for I was scared. You are the one who knows me the best out of everyone, perhaps even more than my mother. I have told you more about myself during those quiet nights in the gardens than I have told my mother when I returned from war. There is just something about you, Loki, that makes me want to become better._

_Seeing you in Midgard after all that time apart, it was the best part of my life. I wish we could be together now but the Norns and Fates are cruel to us. Let me tell you this: I love you. I love with all my heart, body and mind. My skin aches for your touch, my mind needs your thoughts. My ears can't live a day without the sound of your voice and I shiver every time you let go of my hand. _

_I apologize that I cannot write more, I fear that the camp is preparing for a war than do not know is coming. It is only through mine, Chiron, and Annabeth's efforts that the demigods are aware that there is the possibility of a battle of their borders. Perhaps, if we're lucky, there will not be too much harm that comes to these children. It pains me every time that I remember that they have not even had a chance to grow and yet, like me, they are fit in armor and ready to fight._

_I must go now, my old teacher has asked for a council. I hope to hear from you soon, my love, for I miss you greatly. If you are not able to write, I will be fine because I can feel you in my heart and I know that you are always here with me. I love you, my Loki, with everything I have._

_Yours,_

_Perseus_

He sat back in his chair and sighed, staring down at the paper in his hands. Perseus wasn't even sure if he would even be able to send it to Asgard but he had to try. It has only been three days but, for him, it has felt like forever, and he didn't think he could be away from his love any longer. Still, he knew that he had to stay on Midgard to complete the quests, and he knew that Loki had his own tasks to complete.

The young god was brought out of his musing by a knock at his cabin door and he wiped his eyes, not even realizing that they were getting moist the longer he thought about his heartmate. He took a steadying breath as he slipped the letter into an envelope, "Come in."

"Perseus," The door creaked open and in came a god the green-eyed warrior hadn't seen in a long while. He was about three inches taller than Perseus and had long red hair what flowed a small bit past his shoulders. He stroked his beard as he walked in, his dark green armor glinting softly in the light from Perseus' lamp. He leaned a bit on a smooth oak cane, his brown eyes taking in the small area.

"Hermod," Perseus stood, his eyes widening in surprise. "What are you doing here? Is everything alright in Asgard?"

Hermod nodded, "Yes, yes, Asgard is doing fine. I... Came to see how you were fairing. You were my closest friend during the war. I hope that hasn't changed any time soon."

"It has not," Perseus assured, stepping forward towards the redhead. "You left for a while, old friend. I was afraid that something may have happened to you."

"Actually, my father had me travel to Svartalfheim to confer with some of his allies and write down information about some of their new crafts. I apologize for the fact that I was not able to inform you of my departure, it was rather short notice and the dwarves have taken most of my time."

Perseus shook his head, "It is quite alright, brother. I am just glad that you have been well. Was there something you have come here for? I do not see you here simply for a social visit."

Hermod nodded, "You are correct in that, Perseus. You have always been a sharp one." The redhead gave a small grin when his friend snorted in amusement. "As I have said, you are one of my closest friends. We have fought next to each other, and you have even assisted me when I nearly lost my leg," He used his cane to lightly tap on said limb. "I feel that it is time I returned the favor."

"I fear I do not understand quite what favor you are speaking of, my friend. I would do it again if the need arose."

The redhead smiled softly and inclined his head, "And I for you. However, I still wish to repay you. I understand that you and Loki are together now finally. Fear not, Odin has not seemed to realize that you two have exchanged the Angassiar yet. Loki is safe from the harsher punishments my father is capable of giving. However, I wish to assist you in communicating with your heartmate."

Perseus was confused for a moment until Hermod inclined his head towards the envelope in his hands. His face flushed a bit as he tightened his grip on it, "You are saying- I mean..."

"I understand that this is troubling times, brother," Hermod said gently, moving forward a step. "I am willing to help you maintain contact with your heartmate, and not just this once. For as long as you two are apart, I will assist in making sure Loki hears your words."

"I- Hermod-" Perseus took a steadying breath and his hands shook as he held out the envelope. "Please-" His eyes felt moist but he didn't try to hide his emotions from his friend. "Please, will you get this to my Loki?"

Hermod took the envelope with careful hands and he bowed to the water god, "Of course, Perseus. I will make sure Loki receives this letter. I shall leave now. It was good to see you again. Stay well, my friend."

"Thank you, Hermod. Thank you so much. Stay well, my friend." He sat back down behind the desk in his cabin when the god left, putting his head in his hands. He didn't know how long he sat there but it must have been for a bit as his door opened again.

"Percy?" It was Annabeth. She came in slowly, lingering by the door. She watched her best friend and her eyes widened slightly when she saw his shaking shoulders. "Percy, are you okay?" She knelt in front of him and ran a hand through his hair, "Look at me, what's wrong?"

Perseus' breath hitched as he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, "Nothing, it's just- I miss him, you know?"

Annabeth nodded, smiling sadly, "I know, Percy. I know this is hard but you will see him soon, you'll see. The time will pass by fast with all that we have to do and, before you know it, you'll be back by his side." She stood up, taking hold of his hands to pull him up. "Come on, let's go for a walk. I talked to the Demeter cabin and they are willing to let us into their garden. Would you like to see it?"

"Yes," He gave a soft smile and laced his arm with hers. "That would be nice."


	5. Chapter 5

_****My dearest Perseus,****_

**_**You are correct in that Odin is indeed punishing me for what has occurred in Midgard. He tenses when he hears murmurings of Thanos and I fear that means that the mad titan is closer than we were led to believe. I will admit, I am scared, my love, about what that means. However, I will not let the fear rule my life, for I have you by my side.**_**

**_**I am sorry that you are having to deal with another prophecy. I remember you telling me in the garden that you never wished to become a warrior. I wish you could have a normal life but, in the end, I am a bit glad that you didn't because it led you to me. Still, there are days where I wish you would use those cutting words I know you have (you've one many arguments against me) and tell your family "no" for once. I know, however, that you won't. It's your good heart that I fell in love with after all.**_**

**_**With the way you speak of the Angasiiar, at how it is a life bond... Are you suggesting that we are now engaged? I do not understand why you were afraid, my love, for I would marry you in a heartbeat if you ever asked. I wish I could hold you now and stand with you in front of Odin to show him our bond. You are the only one I want and the only one I need. I would take on the world if it meant that I could see you again.**_**

**_**Currently, I am sitting in the dungeons in the palace and am unable to access my magic. What would you suggest that I do? I am beginning to get bored here and it pains me that I am here doing nothing when you are preparing for another war. If I could aid you, never doubt that I would. You are my heart and I would simply die if you were to not exist.**_**

**_**I love you, my Perseus, and I will see you again. You've sworn that we will be together again, so I have no doubts. Still, the distance pains me and I ache to hold you in my arms again. Please, stay safe. I would simply go mad without you.**_**

_****Forever yours,****_

_****Loki****_

"Have you finished the letter?"

Loki looked up at the figure waiting outside of his cell, "Yes, I am." He placed the parchment inside the envelope, holding it out, "thank you, Hermod. What you are doing... It is truly appreciated. I am forever in your debt."

Hermod shook his head, "It is the least I can do. It pains me to see paired Angasiiars separated in such a way. I have told this to Perseus but I will tell you as well. For as long as you and Perseus are separated, it is no hardship on my part to continue delivering letters for you. I fought with Perseus during the war and he has saved my life before. I feel that delivering your letters is saving his as well."

"Yes, he is a bit dramatic," Loki smiled to himself. He could picture his fiancé's offended look at his statement and his retort that Loki was the dramatic one in their relationship.

"He has cried for you," Hermod shifted from foot-to-foot. "I will say this, Loki, that you two will always find a way to each other. I don't need the queen's sight to know this."

Loki nodded, settling on the bed provided in his cells cross-legged, "I will be with him for forever. No one shall keep us apart."

The red-haired god nodded, "Good. Rest easy, brother. I shall make sure this letter gets to your beloved."

"Thank you, Hermod."

* * *

"Good form," Perseus praised a child of Hephaestus as he instructed class. "Be sure to raise your sword a bit higher and keep your footing strong. You do not want your opponent to knock you off your feet because you are unsteady."

"Right," Aaron nodded, their face determined. "Promise I won't let you down, Teach."

The Greek-Asgardian grinned and rolled his eyes good-naturedly, "I know you won't." He looked off to the side and positively lit up when he saw Hermod holding a letter in his hands, "I will be right back, Aaron. Please excuse me."

"Whatever," Aaron smirked. "Tell Loki I said hi." They made kissy faces at the water god.

"I never should've told you about him," Perseus laughed, pushing the child gently. "Everyone, take a five minute break, and for the love of the gods, don't stab each other for fun. What is my number one rule?"

"Stabbing is only for science," The children chorused, smiling as they said the words.

"Very good. Make sure to drink lots of water. It'd look bad on me as a son of Poseidon if I let you all pass out from dehydration."

Hermod shook his head when Perseus finally came near, "Somethings never change. I have a letter for you, brother. Loki is quite fine right now. Bored but overall fine."

Perseus grabbed the envelope quickly but took time to retort, "A bored Loki is never 'fine,' Hermod. You and I both know this."

"Indeed we do. I must return to Asgard now. When would you say your next letter will be ready?"

The water god tilted his head, thinking about the classes he had to teach and the meetings he had to attend with the head counselors. "Tomorrow if I am able to. Will that be alright?"

Hermod inclined his head, "Yes, I will deliver your letter. Stay well, my brother."

"Stay well, Hermod."

"Hey, hey, was that the dude that's sending your letters?" Aaron asked once the man left, bouncing over to the water god. "He has a cool beard."

Perseus sighed at the child that was quickly becoming like a sibling to him. "You can tell him that tomorrow, Aaron. Did you drink your water?"

"Yup!" Aaron held up a cup, peering up at the god through their curly brown hair, "I got you a cup, too. I also asked Annabeth if she could take over the class so you could read your letter."

He took the cup, sipping from it, "This is why you're one of my favorite minions."

"I'm not_ a_ minion, I'm_ the_ minion. Anyways, leave already or I'll tell the Demeter cabin about your garden."

"You're mean, what happened to respecting your elders?"

The child of Hephaestus shrugged, "I dunno, I learned everything from you."

Perseus rolled his eyes, "I hope Vanessa gives you a bruise."

Aaron mirrored his action, "She won't, she loves me."

"I should've realized that you're delusional. Tell Annabeth thank you for me, yes?"

"Yeah, sure. Buh-_bye~_!"

Perseus walked over to the beach and sat down in the sand, running his hands gently over the envelope in his hands. He opened it and scanned over the contents, feeling his face heating as he read every sweet word his love wrote. He sighed softly and held the paper close to his chest, wishing that Loki was with him at that moment.

"Okay, so," Aaron flopped down on the sand next to him, making an 'pleh' sound as they got some in their mouth. "Annabeth had to end class short cause she had to help Chiron with something. I thought I'd hang out with you since you were all by yourself."

Perseus stared at the child for a moment and squinted at them, "What do you want?"

"Right, I want to ask Vanessa on a date but I don't know how. Every time I even hint at it, she changes the subject. Maybe she just hates me..."

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe she's insecure because she's trans? She has told me before that she has had some trouble with it."

Aaron looked like they might fight someone, "What?! Who messed with her? I'll kill 'em!"

Perseus shook his head, "Aaron, you remind me a lot of myself sometimes... Stay by her side and support her. Show her that you will never leave. She needs time to heal from previous wounds."

The child of Hephaestus nodded, "Okay, I can most definitely do that. Even if she doesn't date me, she's the most awesome person I have ever met." They stood up, brushing the sand off their pants. Just as they were about to leave, they stopped and turned back to the god, "Perseus..."

"Yes?" Perseus looked up at the seriousness in the child's voice.

"No matter what... You will be with Loki again."

"I know I will," He smiled softly. "I swore I would."


	6. Chapter 6

Perseus sighed for what felt like the third time in a span of five minutes. "Aaron, where are you taking me?"

The child of Hephaestus looked back at the god and grinned brightly, eyes mischievous, "Leo and I wanna show you something. He fixed it and all but I helped make some other stuff. Just- You'll see!"

"Okay," He said in amusement, allowing Aaron to tug him in the direction of the forest. "Are we heading to the Bunker?"

"You know about that?" The brunette asked in surprise.

Percy looked away, his lips twitching up a bit, "No."

"Riiight... Anyways, we're not going to the bunker that you totally don't know about. Just somewhere close to it."

The god nodded and the two walked mostly in silence, the child of Hephaestus occasionally talking about how their classes were going in high school and how they were now a sophomore with mainly straight A's with a C in choir because they didn't do their sight readings on time.'

"I can assist you on that," Perseus said. "Loki is very fond of music and he has taught me a fair amount."

Aaron practically lit up, "Really? Awesome!"

"Percy!"

The two looked up to see Leo running over to them, parts of his clothes covered in some type of oil. It reminded Perseus a bit of his son, making him smile fondly a bit.

"Hello, Leo," Perseus inclined his head, kissing the back of the teen's hand in greeting because he found it amusing when he turned red. It was a typical greeting on Asgard depending on the person and the god knew he didn't have to do it on Midgard at all.

Predictably, Leo's face turned tomato red. "Right, hi," He said a little breathlessly and shook his head when he heard Aaron's snort of laughter. He knew Perseus was humoring him, it was all in good fun. Everyone knew about Perseus and Loki, and how the two were soulmates and all that. "Come on, I have to show you something."

"By all means, lead the way."

Once again, they began walking again, though this time the god was in framed by two children of Hephaestus. He knew that the two adored him but not in the way of a lover. He was a god and they were children trying to impress him with their creations in hope that he would not leave them, not lock himself away where they could not reach like their parent had already done. There would be a time, however, where Perseus would have to leave because it wasn't his place to stay on Midgard anymore. He had changed too much, seen too much, and the realm didn't hold what he yearned for daily.

While he was on Midgard, with the time he had, he would grant the children their wish for praise and acceptance in that they are not alone. Not anymore.

"Okay," Leo spoke up, drawing the god out of his thoughts. "Wait here, I'll be right back." He darted off between the trees, leaving Perseus with Aaron, who was positively vibrating with barely restrained excitement.

"You're going to love it," Aaron declared, though there was a hint of hesitation in their voice. "It's so awesome, you'll be impressed."

"I am always impressed by you and your siblings' work, Aaron," Perseus said with a tilt of his head.

Aaron's cheeks colored slightly before they shook their head, "Yeah, but this will blow those all away!"

"I have no doubt." Perseus looked up when he heard heavy footfalls and he couldn't help as his eyes lit up with awe as he saw Leo riding a large metal dragon. He remembered seeing the creature when he was in the forest with the children's older brother... The one he could not save. It felt right to have Leo and Aaron find the dragon and put him back together, to fix its metal mind. "Amazing," He breathed out, not bothering to cover the impressed look on his face like he would in Asgard.

Leo hopped off the dragon's back to stand proudly next to Aaron, "You really think so?"

"Yes," Perseus nodded. He took a step forward, his hand reaching out and he couldn't help the widening of his eyes when the creature nudged its snout into his palm. "What is their name?"

"His name's Festus," Aaron and Leo said at once, grinning at each other when they did.

The god's lips twitched up slightly, "A good name. Fit for a mighty warrior such as this one. Have you shown him to the others?"

Leo shook his head, "We wanted to show you first. I think- I'm hoping we can use him for the quests."

Just the day before, it was revealed that Leo, Piper, and Jason were chosen to go on the first quest. Rachel Elizabeth Dare, one of Perseus' old friends, was the oracle and had pointed at each of the three demigods individually as her eyes glowed an acid green.

"That is a wonderful idea." Then, Perseus' eyes lit up with mischief and he grinned just like his heartmate would when he thought of a positively amazing idea, "I know how you can tell the others..."

* * *

No one was expecting the giant metal dragon that ran landed heavily down in front of the Big house, and they most definitely weren't expecting to see Leo controlling it. They could hear the Latino's cackling, along with Aaron's, and Perseus' soft chuckles. The campers never expected to see the Greek-Asgardian accompanying the two children of Hephaestus on their crazy scheme. He always seemed too calm and aloof for that. but apparently not.

"That was quite fun," Perseus said, somehow managing to look graceful as he slid off the back of the dragon. He turned and caught Leo, who practically threw himself at the god, and did the same with Aaron. For some reason, the two demigods enjoyed acting like old-timey damsels from the movies. It never failed to make them start giggling like small children.

"Good to see you're still crazy," Annabeth laughed when Perseus came over to her while the rest of the seven went to see Festus.

Perseus raised an eyebrow at her, a smirk making its way onto his face, "My Angassiar is a trickster god, Annabeth."

She laughed, shaking her head, "Of course, how could I forget?" She looked over his shoulder at Jason, Piper, and Leo, who were talking about the quest they would be going on. "Is it time?"

"Today," Perseus nodded. "Very soon." He held out his arm, quirking an eyebrow up at his best friend, "Shall we see them off?"

"Yeah," She laced her arm with his. "Let's do that."

The two made their way over to where the rest of the seven were talking to each other, giving advice on anything they felt might help in some way. It was nice to see Romans and Greeks managing to get along despite the bad history between them. Perseus hoped it would be like that for the Greeks and the Asgardians one day.

"Perseus Jackson!" Leo turned on the god, his eyes wide and his mouth fighting a grin, "Why didn't you tell me Festus meant 'happy' in Latin?"

"As I have said," Perseus' shoulders shook from barely restrained laughter. "It is a name fit for a mighty warrior."

Leo pointed at him, "I'm on to you, asshole." He ignored his friend's gasps because the god was now outright laughing. "You're a trickster god yourself, aren't you?"

Perseus caught his breath, "No, I am simply engaged to one."


	7. Chapter 7

Loki remembered the first time he saw Perseus' scars. They were maybe seventeen in Midgardian years and they were walking through the town in Asgard. It was no secret that Perseus was not fond of Thor and his friends, the Warrior Three and Lady Sif. The only reason why the god wasn't ostracized for that was because Perseus' battle prowess was more well-known than those beings. He was much older than some people seemed to realize and he fought his fair share of battles, both on Asgard and on Midgard. The god had fought alongside the royal guards when called by Odin Allfather, and he had answered the Greeks when summoned.

Perseus was both respected and feared, but people never hesitated to visit him and his mother on Asgard when they needed medical assistance. He would, however, deny the Warrior Three and Lady Sif access to his home and, if his mother allowed them inside, he would leave and avoid them, often finding himself with a certain god of mischief.

It was their third time in the town together, Loki and Perseus talking amiably about the magic lessons the trickster was being to give the older god, when they were confronted by three Asgardians. Not everyone was okay with Loki being one of the princes of Asgard. He used magic and fought with daggers instead of swords, and almost everyone thought him too rude to be royalty.

When the three Asgardians came near the pair, Perseus' stance changed instantly. He was tense and wary, his hand automatically sliding in his right pants pocket. "Loki," He hissed when he saw the weapons the men were carrying and the dagger sliding into the mage's palm. "Don't."

"Perseus," Loki shook his head. "I will not just sit back and do nothing."

"If you do something, it will be detrimental to your standing in Asgard," The older god turned his head to the trickster. "I am sorry but you are the second prince. Since Thor is in line to take the thrown, the Allfather can punish you if you attack any of the citizens of Asgard. It would look terrible for the royal family."

Loki wanted to protest but he knew the other's words rang true. He concealed his dagger and stepped back, allowing his friend to speak to the three men. He disliked not doing anything, he would never let anyone besmirch his name, but he did not want the Asgardians to think the royal family was against them.

"May I help you?" Perseus asked one of the men with a cold smile, stepping out in front of their path.

"We must speak to Loki," A redhead man said, his grip tightening on his broadsword.

The god frowned, "That is_ Prince_ Loki to you. You will do well to remember that he is a son of King Odin and Queen Frigga."

"Step aside, Perseus," He growled. "You don't want to get hurt."

Perseus' eyes flashed and his smile was back up, "Are you threatening me?"

"I do not want to fight you, but I will if I have to."

"Good because I cannot allow you to harm a member of the royal family, especially Loki." He reacted quicker than anyone was expecting as he intercepted the man's sword with a bronze one that seemed to just appear in his hands. With a twist of his hand, the man's weapon fell to the ground and his body soon followed as the god swiped his legs out from under him with a kick.

The other two men with him seemed to come out of their shock at seeing the usually passive god attack. They charged at once but it was all for naught as Perseus was already twisting to meet them, a whirl of deadly attacks that the Asgardians didn't have a chance of matching. It made it incredibly obvious how outmatched they were because that was truly a god fighting, one that had seen many battles and lived to tell the tale.

"I will have your names," Perseus growled as he held his sword under the chin of one of the men, the other two on the ground. "And you shall be tried for daring to attack Prince Loki of Asgard."

"Loki is a disgrace," The man spat, driving a dagger he had hidden into the god's gut. He didn't have time to smile in victory, however, as the sword at his throat ended up in his leg.

Perseus watched with cold eyes as the man fell, "I found long ago that my blade works on aesirs." His eyes widened a bit when he jerked forward as the man still had a hold on him, his shirt tearing under his weight. "Release me," He snarled, his hand coming up to grab the man's wrist in a painful grip.

Loki had never seen his friend so panicked and, as he stepped forward, he soon saw why. As the shoulder of the shirt tore, grotesque scars were revealed, each encompassing his left shoulder and most of his torso. He recognized them on the bodies of Thor's enemies, the ones who did not survive an attack from Mjolnir. Someone had struck Perseus with lightning, leaving behind black and white scars that marred the god's tan skin for all to see now.

The trickster witnessed the moment Perseus' eyes widened in horror but before he could do anything, his friend ordered someone nearby to take the men to the king before disappearing in a blue mist before their very eyes. Loki, after assuring some of the startled that he and Perseus were fine now, didn't waste time as he teleported to the one place he knew his friend has gone.

"Perseus," He called as he entered the space that could truly be considered the god's greatest creation. Loki gazed at the rows upon rows of flowers not seen in any realm for they were Perseus' very own creation. The garden of Alltid was something people only dreamed of, fantasized about, and only Heimdall and Loki himself knew where it was located or that it truly existed. "Perseus, please..." He stepped forward and laid his eyes on the form of his friend sitting among blue flowers that seemed to droop in sadness just like him.

"Go away, Loki," Perseus said, though his voice was quiet and his shoulders shook as tried to grab the torn remains of his shirt in an attempt to cover himself more. "I do not want company."

"You were very impressive out there," Loki began, walking towards his friend, mindful of the flowers around him. "I had not known you possessed speed quite like that."

Perseus seemed to jerk in surprise, not expecting the prince to speak about his fighting in the town. "I had practice." He didn't move when he heard the trickster draw near but he did stiffen when he felt a grin silk blanket fall over his shoulders. His tense posture relaxed and he released his shirt to draw the new material around him closer. "Thank you," He murmured.

Loki hummed, his hands carding through his friend's hair like they did many times when they came to the garden. It was a move they used when the other was too stressed or overworked and it never failed to calm them. The trickster found his hand coming up to his own hair, taking out the golden thread his mother had carefully put there so that he could wined it through Perseus'.

It was done without a simple thought beyond that he believed the gold would suit his friend far more than the unwanted second prince. His friend's hair was wavy and smooth, the strands embracing the thread like it was always meant to be there.

"You took your gold out," Perseus leaned back to look up at the trickster. "Why?"

Loki looked down at his friend and found himself enraptured with his sea green eyes. It would be so easy, he thought, to simply lean down and close the distance between them. Yet, he hesitated because, while they were friends, he did not think Perseus would want him, the second prince that spoke in lies and half-truths more than anything because it was easiest.

"I simply wanted to," Loki said instead, moving so he could sit next to his friend, so he was away from the temptation that could ruin them. "Will you tell me how you got them?"

Perseus' shoulders shook again for a moment, his head tilting down a bit, making the gold shimmer in the light coming from a place Loki did not know in the small realm his friend had made. When it seemed like he would not speak, Perseus' words came out in a small murmur, "Many years ago, I served the Olympians on Midgard..." He pulled the green blanket tighter around himself, "For a long time, I answered King Zeus' calls and completed any task he or his wife, Queen Hera, assigned me..."

"But?" Loki prompted, leaning forward to catch his friend's eyes. He gritted his teeth when he saw the agony in the green depths. Never before had he wanted to murder another so badly before. He wanted to hurt Zeus, despite knowing he could not, for daring to harm his friend.

"But when I wanted to leave, to return to Asgard so I could see my mother... King Zeus did not like that. Asgardians are seen as the Greeks enemies, a wary ally if we are being generous. He made me think that I could be free, that I could return to my mother without any repercussions." Perseus took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly as he brought his knees up to his chest, hiding his face in the blanket. "Then he said... If I survived... I may leave. Before-Before I could ask what he was talking about... He struck me with his master bolt. It is only thanks to my Asgardian lineage and Lord Apollo that I am alive."

Loki didn't realize his hands were shaking until he brought them up to place them on Perseus' knees. "How did you arrive on Asgard? How did- You must have been too weak to move, let alone summon the Bifrost..."

"I was," Perseus confirmed. "But Lord Apollo gave me enough strength for me to stand on my own, and Lady Athena and one of her daughters managed to somehow contact Heimdall..." He lifted his head, his eyes dull and lined with tears, "Loki, I don't ever want to go back. I don't ever want to serve them again..."

"If I could prevent it, I would," Loki said, finally giving into the urge and pulling his friend into a hug. "I would destroy anyone that should try to harm you again."

Perseus sighed, leaning into the embrace, "You can't promise that, my prince..."

"And it pains me so," The trickster whispered, his eyes gazing at a blue and green flower that swayed in the gentle breeze and rippled like it was made entirely of water. It reminded him of his best friend, and it seemed oh so sad right then.

* * *

Loki was broken out of his memories as Thor walked into the throne room of Asgard and he couldn't help as his gaze fell on Mjolnir. The trickster had faked his death, something that was easy to accomplish, after assisting the blonde fool in fighting the Dark Elves. Loki did not want to speak to Thor, however, because his mother was gone and the person he wanted to hold was separated from him. Disguising himself as Odin was simple and he wrote to his love about his plan the moment he could, detailing his plan to rule Asgard and bring it to prosperity. He only wished he could have Perseus by his side.

Once Thor left after telling 'Odin' of Loki's 'death,' Loki dropped the disguise and leant back into the throne. He called upon his magic and used a simple spell, one he had done before, and conjured an illusion that showed everything he wanted. Perseus stood next to him, his stance relaxed as he gazed at Loki with a soft smile, and the gold thread still woven in his hair. The trickster found himself reaching for him but frowned when he could not grab him.

Ruling Asgard was all Loki ever wanted but now that he sat on the throne, he knew that he would leave if Perseus called upon him. Governing the Asgardians meant nothing to him if he could not rule with his heartmate, his fiancé, by his side.

With a swipe of his hand, the image of Perseus faded, the illusion reaching for him. He made another image, a memory, where Loki and Perseus sat with his mother, father, and Thor and shared a meal. It was when Perseus first met the trickster's mother and was recognized as Loki's close friend. Seeing the look in his mother's eyes now, Loki wondered if she knew that the water god would soon be considered much more.

"Loki."

Loki jerked a bit in surprise but he turned his head to see Hermod in the throne room. The other god did not look upset nor surprised, as if he expected the black-haired god to take the throne. "Hermod, how may I help you?"

"Perseus has written you another letter," The redhead said, brandishing the envelope for the other to see. He walked the few steps up to the throne, holding it out for the other. "I must return to my duties. When you have written your response, please do not hesitate to call upon me."

The young god grabbed the envelope, "Hermod... I thank you for all that you're doing."

Hermod gazed at him for a moment before inclining his head, "Rule Asgard well, King Loki."


	8. Chapter 8

Perseus' hands shook as he read the latest letter from Loki. He was proud of his heartmate, proud that he finally fulfilled his dream of sitting on the throne of Asgard, but he couldn't stop the trembling in his body. Loki tried, in his words, to make it seem like everything was right, that there was no need to worry, but Perseus could still see how parts of the parchment was marred with dried tears as the trickster told of his mother's death. He had pressed harder on those parts, like he was trying to keep his hand steady even as his lip quivered.

The god was quick to write a response, his mind working to find a way to make the distance between them easier. He wanted to smack himself when the idea came to him, for it seemed so obvious now that he thought of it. He grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down one simple sentence before sealing it in an envelope.

****Meet me in Alltid tonight if you are able to.****

He quickly set the letter on his desk for Hermod to pick up when he heard Annabeth outside of his cabin door, shouting for him to hurry up. Leo, Piper, and Thor Jr. were leaving on their quest that day and the rest of the seven were going to see them off. The three were nervous, they weren't sure if they could really work well together or not, or if they would even survive.

"Percy, come_ on!_"

"Coming,_ mother,_" The god responded, grabbing three small bags he had placed under his bed. He quickly opened the door, moving past her to where the others were waiting. "Hurry up, waiting for you now."

Annabeth snorted, jogging to catch up, "Oh, real mature. How old are you again?"

"How old do you think I am?"

That response made her pause for a moment, "Two hundred?"

Perseus snorted, his hand coming up to cover the smile on his lips, "You think me a small babe? Please, Annabeth, I am much older than that."

"Percy's hella old, Annabeth," Aaron said as they ran up to loop their arm with the god's in an attempt to get him to move faster.

"And you're hella annoying," He retorted but matched his leg strides with the teen's. "Two hundred years old," He muttered to himself, shaking his head. "Ridiculous."

Annabeth rolled her eyes, "Alright, then, eight hundred."

Perseus didn't respond to her, seeing as they had just arrived at the clearing where the rest of the seven were waiting. "Are you ready for your quest?" He asked Leo, Piper, and Thor Jr.

"Honestly," Piper laughed nervously. "No, not at all. Any advice?"

"Follow your heart," The god smiled, holding out one of the sacks that he was carrying to her. "In the end, it's you who decides your actions. This should help." He gave the other two children their bags, humming as he did. "Do not open them now. You will know when it is time. You must rely on each other," He looked all of them in the eyes. "No quest can be done alone and all of your abilities are useful. I apologize that I can not tell you more."

Jason stepped up, catching the god's attention, "Can you see the future or something?"

"Or something," Perseus said in amusement. "I get glimpses, impressions. Sometimes they aren't clear and I am not entirely sure when they will occur." He looked up at the sky, a frown forming on his lips, "It is time for you three to go, Thor Jr."

The son of Jupiter sighed, muttering, "It's Jason..."

Leo pushed past the blonde, throwing himself at the god, who blinked in surprise. "I'm going to miss you, Percy. I don't want to go. Can't you come with us?"

"I'm afraid not," Perseus said solemnly, running a hand through the child's hair soothingly. "But you are stronger and smarter than you believe, Leo Valdez. You will be fine."

The son of Hephaestus nodded, not moving for a second as he willed himself to stop trembling. What he liked about Percy the most was that he didn't make a big deal out of anything, and the only expectations he had for them was for them to do their best. He didn't have to give them items for their quest, judging by Annabeth's shocked face he saw when she did, but he did anyway. The god also didn't complain any of the times Leo threw himself at him, always catching him and making sure he was safely on the ground. It showed he cared even when he had no reason to.

"I believe in you guys," Hazel smiled kindly, her golden eyes warm. "You'll be fine."

Frank nodded in agreement, a small grin on his face, "You have Festus, he'll keep you all safe."

"From my experience on quests," Annabeth spoke up, adjusting her ponytail. "Is that your first plan never works out but that's okay." She looked at Perseus, "Sometimes you just need to improvise."

"Got it," Piper nodded, clutching the small bag she had received close to her chest. She carefully climbed on Festus after Jason did, beginning to whisper quietly to him.

Leo held a hand out to Perseus after he pulled away from the impromptu hug, "Help me up?" He batted his eyes at the god when he just stared and grinned triumphantly when he took his hand.

"You are enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Just a little bit," The son of Hephaestus said before joining his friends on Festus' back. "Alright, we're off."

It was heartwarming to see the friendships already forming between the Greek and Roman demigods. Perseus was glad that there were no fighting, that the group got along as well as they did, because he wasn't sure what he would do if they didn't. It seemed like they belonged together, like they were made to be friends, but Perseus found himself on the sidelines, as if he was watching the proceedings but not living them.

"Lever, ung en," Perseus spoke as they were about to take off, his green eyes seeming to swirl with power. He knew that they did not understand him, he was not speaking Greek or Latin, but it did not mean that he was going to take back his words. "Blomstre." ("Live, young one" "Flourish/blossom")

Leo blinked at the god before he gave a soft smile. "Thanks, Percy," He murmured before Festus took off in the air.

The rest of the Seven watched the three demigods leave until they were out of sight. Frank turned to the others, "What're you all going to do now?"

"I was going to go to the Pegasi," Hazel smiled, gazing over at where the beings were.

"I need to organize some information," Annabeth responded, her mind already focusing on what she needed to do.

Perseus simply shrugged when they turned to him and he smiled secretly, "I have a meeting I must attend."

Annabeth gave him a look, her eyes twinkling in a way that told that she knew what the god was going to do. It was that gaze, the one no other mortal had given him, that caused her to gain his favor. She seemed to understand him better than most despite the many years between them. "Have fun," She said with a soft smile. "Tell him I said hello."

"I will be sure to," Perseus said as he inclined his head before teleporting to the Poseidon's cabin in a blue mist.

When he arrived in his cabin, he paced a bit inside. He wasn't sure if he should go to the garden early, if Loki would even be there. Still, he couldn't seem to wait and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

As he opened his eyes, he found that he didn't even have to question it because Loki was already standing in front of him with a smile on his face and a hand outstretched.

"Loki," Perseus breathed, like all of his worries vanished with that one word.

"Perseus," Loki intertwined their fingers together, pulling the older god close to him. His lips ghosted over his as he whispered, "I have missed you greatly."


	9. Chapter 9

When Loki had received the letter from Perseus telling him to meet him at the garden Alltid, it felt like he could finally breathe again. He felt foolish for having forgotten the one place his love had crafted so carefully, the one place both he and Loki could go to when their lives became too much to handle. It was a beautiful garden, with flowers that stretched farther than the eye could see. There were times that the god of mischief wondered if even Heimdall could see the end, if the end existed for such an exquisite thing like Alltid.

When Loki was assisting his idiotic brother against the Dark Elves, the blonde had mentioned Perseus, how he hadn't seen the man since the alien invasion and he wasn't sure where he was. Despite the fact that Loki knew for a fact that Perseus despised warriors, he couldn't help but feel relieved to know that he had not told even Thor where he was or what he was doing.

Loki couldn't wait to see Perseus, he couldn't stay on Asgard another minute knowing that he was going to see his love again. It felt like decades to Loki, like he hadn't seen Perseus in such a long time that he had forgotten how to breathe without his name on his lips.

After walking around Alltid for a bit, gazing at the flowers so lovingly crafted, he felt the air shift, signaling that Perseus had arrived. He straightened, turning to his fiancé, and he could feel a smile make its way onto his lips as he held a hand out to Perseus' form.

"Loki," Perseus said in a voice that sounded like honey to the god of mischief.

"Perseus," Loki laced their fingers together and pulled the other closer to him. He wanted to say so much to him, to tell him all about what he had been doing, but he couldn't seem to find the words. His lips ghosted over Perseus' and he couldn't help getting lost in the other's eyes, "I have missed you greatly."

The tension seemed to leave Perseus' body as he leaned forward, kissing the god of mischief gently like they had all the time in the world for each other. They didn't, not yet anyway, but they could pretend that they did for now. They simply held each other close, their foreheads resting together when they took the moment to breathe, and didn't open their eyes.

"It has been too long," Perseus whispered and the flowers surrounding them seemed to sway in time with his words. "You must tell me everything."

"In due time," Loki promised, opening his eyes to meet his heartmate's. "I simply would like to hold you, if you will let me."

Perseus' lip seemed to quiver slightly as he exhaled, "Please."

He nodded, holding his fiancé close to him as he hummed some song he had heard on Asgard. He gazed out at the field of flowers behind Perseus, stroking his hair as he took in the gold Angassiars that seemed to surround them in a loose ring of soft petals. As he ran his hand through his heartmate's hair another time, he felt the thread he had gave him so long ago in the very same garden.

At some point, the two had ended up sitting down in the cool grass, the cuddled into each other's sides like they were right where they wanted to be- and they were. They didn't talk for a moment, content to simply stew in their own thoughts and the feeling of each other. Finally, it seemed like Loki had found what he wanted to say, "Ruling Asgard is not quite what I expected."

"And what did you expect?" Perseus hummed, looking up into his fiancé's eyes.

"For one," Loki started, rubbing soothing circle's into the palm of one of Perseus' hand. "I do not like how, even now, Odin is pulling one over on me."

The older god shook his head, "You should not have to disguise yourself, I hate that you have to." His lips quirk up in wry amusement, "Though, you are the one who jumped the gun and faked your death."

Loki tilted his head, "It was easier. As far as Thor knows, Odin is still alive."

"That's because he is," Perseus chuckled. "Leo, Piper, and Thor Jr. have just left on their quest."

"Is he really a second Thor?" The younger god tilted his head, his eyes flashing with mirth.

Perseus groaned, letting his head fall back onto Loki's chest, "_Yes_ and it's so_ annoying_."

Loki laughed, running his hand up and down Perseus' exposed arm. He knew he was close to the scars and felt a warm feeling in his chest when he saw how his fiancé didn't even tense. "My time on Asgard would be better if I had you with me," He confessed, looking out at the trees in the distance that had healthy green leaves mixed with bright blue fruit-like things.

"Anytime would better with you by my side," Perseus hummed, closing his eyes for a brief moment. "I am glad we can have moments like this."

"Moments where it's just us," Loki agreed, running a hand through Perseus' hair. "I would love nothing more than to have an infinite amount of time like this with you."

Perseus looked up at him before he put a gentle hand on the side of Loki's neck, bringing the younger god down in a gentle kiss. "You are my light," He murmured against his lips. "When I am nearly consumed by darkness, I think of you and I am home."

"Home is where the heart is, as they say," Loki hummed. "And mine has been with you for so long now..."

"Kiss me, Loki," Perseus smiled, looking up at his fiancé through his lashes. "Kiss me like nothing else matters."

"Oh, Heart," The god of mischief pulled the elder god closer by the waist. "Nothing will ever come close to you. You are my Angasiiar, my life- we are the beginning and the end of each other." At those words, he leaned forward to kiss his fiancé once more, keeping it sweet and gentle, like they had all the time in the world.

They didn't but it didn't hurt to dream...

When Loki opened his eyes, he found himself back in the throne room, Perseus gone from his arms.


	10. Chapter 10

Perseus could be considered an old god. He was not the oldest, not by a long shot, and he was pretty young in comparison to others, but there was something about him that made him wise beyond his years. He could tell you a story of war and desperation, and you would still never come close to understanding him. Perseus was an enigma amongst the unknown and even most gods could not tell you much about him.

However, one thing was agreed upon, one thing people who met the god could tell you with upmost certainty.

It was difficult to make Perseus angry.

Now, it seemed ridiculous. A being hundreds upon hundreds of years old must have gotten mad at some point, right? Heimdall, with his vast memory and sight, could tell you that the god couldn't even seem to remain angry when he fought in the war against Jotunheim. In the beginning he was enraged that everyone had to fight such a meaningless war because of petty pride. After a while, though, Perseus just grew tired. His bones ached, as did his heart, but he could not muster up the energy to continue protesting.

This child of Nemesis was really pushing his buttons, though.

"Repeat that again," Perseus tilted his head, ignoring how some people's heads snapped around to look at him. "I must be getting old in my age, I don't believe I heard you correctly."

The child of Nemesis, some boy named Elijah, had been at the camp for about a week, perhaps a week and a half, and was already beginning to annoy many campers. While expressing yourself was something Camp Half Blood encouraged, it did not accept someone purposely belittling others or shunning them for what they chose to do.

Perseus is the god of heroes, among other things, but that did not mean he had to be everyone's own hero. Sometimes, heroes came in different forms, teamed up together in unlikely pairs for the greater good.

"I_ said_," Elijah rolled his eyes at the god, like Perseus was the child. "This freak shouldn't be in this camp," He gestured to Vanessa, who flinched. "I mean, come on, he's just pretending to be a girl!"

"Hey, bitch," Aaron pushed through the crowd that was gathered near the Big House. They glared at the boy, tapping their foot on the ground, "No one here is pretending to be anything. That's a girl if I ever saw one."

The son of Nemesis frowned, "But he was born a boy."

Aaron crossed their arms, leaning forward like they were going to tell a secret. "Elijah, look me in the eyes and tell me if I give a fuck," He deadpanned.

"A-Aaron," Vanessa reached out slightly towards the child of Hephaestus, awe on her face. She could feel tears building up in her eyes, especially since she knew that Aaron was usually a sunshine child.

"Oh, come on," Elijah stomped his foot slightly, looking at Aaron like they were scum on his shoes. "I bet you're one of those freaks, too. Honestly, the gods should just smite Victor for being so-"

The son of Nemesis was suddenly cut off as he was punched. He looked up in shock to see Clarisse standing over him, Annabeth just a few feet behind her. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"What does it look like?" Clarisse glowered at him.

Annabeth cracked her knuckles, looking pissed, "Girls protecting girls."

Perseus felt pride fill him as he watched girls stepping forward to defend Vanessa, even some boys. Like he mentioned, he was the god of heroes but that did not mean he had to be one. Sometimes, your own heroes were the ones who were human just like you.

"Send him to the hunters," Perseus found himself saying, his body tense with rage. "Let Lady Artemis tear him apart."

Clarisse grinned, "With pleasure."

"No, no, wait!" Elijah, still on the ground, pushed himself away from the daughter of Ares. "Wait, you can't do this!" He locked eyes on the god, "How can you accept this? You can't let them do this to me!"

Perseus knelt in front of the boy, his eyes cold, "You would find that I can. I happen to be one of those "freaks" you were talking about, you know." His mouth suddenly stretched into a grin that was not comforting, "I don't believe I liked what you said. However, I consider myself a merciful god. So, I shall let Lady Artemis deal with you," He stood, his grin turning sweet. "Your mind would break if I had my way."

Aaron leaned over to Vanessa, whispering, "Remind me never to piss him off, okay?"

"Honey, you could murder twenty people and Perseus would call you an angel," The girl said back, her face lighting up when Aaron turned red in embarrassment. Everyone in camp knew that the child of Hephaestus was the god's favorite and they were okay with it.

Perseus smiled warmly, able to hear what the two were talking about. He wasn't going to deny it, Aaron_ is_ his favorite, though he never told anyone why. He always felt happy when he thought about their first encounter.

_"Come__ on,__" A voice whined. "Does no one wanna know what my dream was about?"_

_Perseus watched as a brunette child with wild curly hair pouted at their siblings, looking a bit lost. He tilted his head in thought, simply observing. He had not interacted much with the campers, unsure if his company would be wanted since he was of the godly nature. He did not want to upset any of the children and ruin their time at what was supposed to be a safe place._

_"Hey, you wanna know about my dream?"_

_The god blinked and the child was suddenly in front of him, staring with big brown eyes. "... Sure."_

_The child's face lit up, like they weren't expecting the god to say yes, "Okay, so, it's pretty wild. I fell off the face of the earth and, girl, let me tell you what I saw! You ready for this?" They held out their hands, leaning forward slightly, "Nicholas Cage... and Jesus."_

_"Ah," Perseus blinked again, processing the string of words that vomited out of the child's mouth. Suddenly, for the first time since arriving at the camp, he found himself smiling widely at someone that wasn't Annabeth. "Sounds very interesting," He nodded solemnly. "You must be very blessed to have such an exquisite vision."_

_They stared at him for a moment before holding out their hand, "Aaron Antaya. Hephaestus. They/them."_

_"Perseus Jackson. Poseidon. He/him," The god shook Aaron's hand, silently vowing to protect the child that didn't seem wary to approach him._

_Aaron nodded slowly, a shark-like grin forming on their face, "You're my new best friend now. I'll go make the bracelets," They practically skipped away, leaving the god to blink after them._

Perseus chuckled to himself, bringing his mind back to the present. He absentmindedly fiddled with the blue and orange bracelet on his wrist, a small smile on his face as he watched Aaron and Vanessa walk off together, their hands reaching haltingly towards each other like they wanted to hold hands but were too shy to.

He turned away from the group, making his way to the Poseidon cabin after waving at Chiron, who was trying to calm the crowd while telling Elijah to pack his bags and leave. As he entered, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Loki," Perseus sighed as he felt the other god's presence in Alltid. "You would not_ believe_ what just happe-" His mouth made a small 'o' as he took in his lover. The tall god was wearing a flowing dark green dress, the fabric adorned with flecks of gold, and on his head was a flower crown made out of Vernsans, mint green flowers the represented feminity. Loki was wearing simple gold flats, the tiny gems on them twinkling in the soft light as they turned towards him.

"Perseus," The god walked over towards him, smiling sweetly.

"Lorea," The older god took the other's hand, kissing it gently. "Forgive me, my lady, I did not know it was you."

Lorea wrapped her arms around the god's waist, resting her head on his chest, "Oh, I do love when you call me that. Lorea. It means 'flower,' does it not?"

"It does," Perseus ran a hand through her hair, kissing the side of her head softly. "You are more beautiful than any flower in Alltid. Is this a new dress?"

Lorea backed away, twirling slightly to let the bottom of the dress fan out slightly, "It is. I had the hand maidens craft it just yesterday. I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Well, you look simply beautiful, petal," Perseus tugged her close to him, pressing a kiss to her nose to make her smile. "You take my breath away every day."

She rolled her eyes, a hint of a blush on her cheeks betraying how flattered she felt, "Oh, don't start."

He put a hand to his chest in mock offense, "What? Can't I compliment my lover?"

Lorea shook her head, kissing him softly, "I do not need compliments, my heart. Just you."

"And you have me," The older god promised. "Forever and always."

"Forever and always," She repeated in a slight whisper, her eyes full of love. "Now, I do believe you were going to tell me about your day."

Perseus straightened, "Right! So, there was this boy named Elijah who..."

* * *

****So, if it wasn't exactly clear, Loki is genderfluid. He has three 'personas.' You have seen regular Loki and, now, Lorea. Loki uses flowers instead of bracelets to show which gender he is feeling, seeing as he knows Perseus enjoys seeing him in his creations.****

****Also, Loki is primarily male, which is why I refer to him as such. Genderfluid Loki was requested by ********holo_this_is_me**** **(a reader from Wattpad) ******seeing as it is canon in the comics, and I decided to go for it! I hope I did it justice. If you all have any ideas for future moments in this book, let me know in the comments or my PM.****

****Another note: my Wattpad username is Yukimoto-Namikaze for those who are interested. I have a few books that are not posted on that you can check out.****


	11. Chapter 11

If anyone knew even the slightest bit about Alltid, they would know that it was not a forever garden despite the name. Alltid had a beginning and it would have an end. It was why the garden was something sought after by many people, many races. It was rumored to contain over thousands of plants never seen in all the nine realms and space itself.

Some claimed to have gone inside Alltid and, once upon a time, maybe they did. Liars were most of them, spray-painted succulents clutched in their hands as they sought their fifteen minutes of fame. Still, people would flock to anyone with so much as a sentence pertaining to the garden. The place was a masterpiece as much as a mystery.

The first flower to appear in the bare field that would soon be Alltid was a lone blue Iris. It shone beautiful in the warm rays of an unseen sun but there was the sadness of a lonely child radiating from it. The maker of the garden frowned for he did not want any of his creations to be upset. He sought to bring the flower a friend to keep them company in the field. However, no matter how far the maker searched or how many flowers he brought, the Iris was never happy. The field was now a garden and it seemed to stretch on forever, earning the name Alltid. Despite the abundant life around it, the Iris still wept for a flower it seemed destined to never meet.

Distraught, the maker went to Midgard on a lonely island long forgotten and dropped to his knees, shedding tears the Iris was unable to produce. He felt that he failed his creation, made them in a world they would never enjoy. However, from those teardrops grew a rich and beautiful green rose that seemed to wave at the maker with the wind. With an astonished smile and careful hands, he picked up the flower, certain that it would cheer up his first creation.

When the maker entered the garden, the flowers seemed to whisper to each other when they saw the life bundled in his hands. They all knew about the Iris, for if you closed your eyes at night you could sometimes hear its cries. With a new excitement, they pointed down the garden towards its center where the Iris nestled itself away in some warm dirt. It would not let any of the other flowers near it, certain that it was not meant to be with anyone.

Kneeling down, the maker smiled as the lowered the green rose, allowing it to settled down. The Rose, though only just entering Alltid, seemed to understand that the Iris had been hurting for many years. With a slowness that seemed to take a millennia and more, the Rose whispered to the Iris, reaching out to wipe away the unseen tears and ease its sorrows. The Iris, in kind, seemed to realize that the Rose could touch them, for they latched on with a glee it had not felt before.

Their roots wrapped around each other and they moved to the center of the dirt, planting themselves there to bask in the sunlight. When it was quiet and the wind died down to a gentle push, you could hear the two flowers singing, rejoicing that they were together and they were happy.

The maker would come back to the area where the Iris and the Rose sat and smile at the memories. The flowers were long gone, aging like all life does, but you could still see their roots, a light brown color as they were immortalized for remembrance. The two had stayed side-by-side, even as flowers around them came and went. They loved each other, once upon a time, and they never stopped. There wasn't anything, not even death, that could keep them apart.

"What is wrong, my heart?"

Perseus teared his eyes away from the roots, turning to see Loki standing behind him with his head tilted to the side. "There isn't anything wrong."

"You only come to this part of Alltid when something is bothering you," The god reminded, stepping forward.

"Times are troubling," Perseus sighed, rubbing his face tiredly with his hands. "It is just about my turn to embark on a quest and, Loki, I am just so_ tired_." He looked at the younger god with defeated eyes, "No matter how far I travel or where I go, it's always_ me._"

Loki stepped forward, pulling the other in his arm, "The world has wronged you, min blomst, and it continues wronging you. I wish with more than I have that the gods would leave you alone but it appears that your path never ends."

"I picked up on some rumors from Harmonia and Hebe that the Council is becoming unsettled."

"Do you think it may pertain to your quest?" Loki wondered, brows pinched together.

Perseus shook his head, "No, not entirely. Harmonia thinks it might have to do with the other pantheons, though she is unsure which."

The god of mischief frowned, "That poses a problem. If you are able to, continue speaking with Harmonia and Hebe and see if they are able to find out more about what may be going on. I will attempt to do the same on my end in Asgard." He ran a hand through his hair, sighing, "Do you have an idea where you may have to travel for your quest?"

"No," Perseus frowned a bit, though he didn't seem too troubled about the fact. "I was unable to get anything from Apollo, though that is no surprise. He wouldn't truly know the prophecies and Rachel can only remember so much when she gives one. It was a long shot on my part. What about you? How's Asgard?"

"Asgard's economy is doing well and the realm is the healthiest it has ever been," Loki grinned, proud of himself for his work.

"Are the citizens happy?" Perseus asked even as he smiled, pleased to see his lover the way he was.

Loki nodded, though he tilted his head, "I should hope so, though perhaps I should ask around if there is anything I shall do. I would not wish any of them to be unhappy like I once was on Asgard. It was truly troubling times for me, though I was able to find my peace."

"You are a wonderful king, my rose, the best of them all."

Loki leaned down, brushing his lips against the other's as he whispered, "My iris, it is only because of you I am able to do so much. I would be truly lost without you and your guidance."

"Mm, I don't know about that," Perseus grinned before sealing the kiss.


End file.
